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Back in the day, Native Americans cut pumpkins into rings and hung them out to dry so that they would have a supply throughout the winter. Today, we just need to go to the local grocery store and buy a can.

I’ve tried both Libby’s and the generics, but I find that Libby’s gives me a more consistent flavor and texture.

If you’re contemplating making your own pumpkin pureé from fresh pumpkin, you can do so for a bit longer than pumpkin season. A whole pumpkin can be stored on the kitchen shelf for one month and in the refrigerator for one to four months. And, once made into pumpkin pureé, it can then be stored in the freezer for up to one year!

When picking a fresh pumpkin for your recipes, chose a sugar pumpkin over the common pumpkin used for jack-o-lanterns. This pumpkin will be smaller and tends to have a more burnt orange color.

You want to look for one that is firm and has a smooth, dull, hard skin. Make sure there are no soft spots and get one with an intact stem – this will help it keep longer before you cut it.

If the pumpkin feels heavy for its size, then it will have more flesh, and therefore will make more pumpkin puree for your recipes.

Pumpkin season is October through December, but I’ve noticed that grocery stores stop selling them after Halloween. You’ll have to investigate your local grocery stores to see if they’ll have them out for longer. Or, take your business to your local pumpkin farm. You can find a listing of farms at the University of Illinois’ Pumpkins & More website: www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/pumpkins/pumpkinfarms.cfm.